Signs basically guide the player along the way, showing how to work the basic mechanics of the level: moving, jumping and finding a new perspective. The platforms create a straight pathway with few pink blocks as obstacles.

Level 2 introduces the player to skull enemies, which the sun's scale can jump on for extra points. Upon approaching the first star, the player should shift perspective 180 degrees, then left to right to jump up the stairs created by the blocks.

Jumping to the platform on the left, the player will see the next star, overlapping a pink block. By changing the perspective left to right, the sun's scale can obtain the second star. The finish tile is a platform away to the player's right, where a skull enemy wanders. A couple of coins are also on the platform if the player wishes to get extra points.

Mushrooms are introduced to level 3, and the sun's scale can jump on them to get the coins in the air. There are three stars to be collected. Two lie on one platform with some pink blocks in different perspectives. The third is on the farther platform, where fire orbs are also introduced. To not lose health, the player has to shift the perspective several times to find away around the enemy, as they cannot jump over or pass through the enemy without losing health.

As the first sunset level, the player is greeted with two waterfalls, but only one visible upon first playing. Once the bottom is reached, the star can be collected. To reach the second star, the player should use the mushrooms to reach the top platform where the goal is. Then, shifting the perspective 180 degrees, get in front of the mushroom and shift the perspective from the left to right. With the right timing, the player can jump from the mushroom to the top pink block to get the last star. Then, going through the same directions as done when the level started, the sun's scale can reach the finish block.

Level 5 introduces star tiles and dark blocks. It is a rather short level that requires the sun's scale to move on to each star tile to break the star blocks, then finding the two stars, which are located next to a dark firing orb enemy.

The first night level of the game introduces star carriers, two of them carrying stars necessary to complete the level. The player needs to trick each of the star carriers by having them walk to the position the moon tile is on the other side, then shifting the perspective 180 degrees so that the star carriers are destroyed and the stars can be obtained. One star is located on a platform with a couple of coins below the only platform with a mushroom on it. The finish block is right next to a platform with one of the star carriers.

There is a platform on either side of the sun's scale that cannot be accessed by jumping alone. Instead, the perspective should be turned 180 degrees so that the sun's scale is standing on the platform that was hidden behind the other platform. Standing on the right half of the platform, the player should shift the perspective from left to right. The star on the left of the sun's scale should now be reachable at this point. After obtaining the first star, jump all the way to platform on the right, where the sign is.

With the mushroom to the right of the sign, have the sun's scale bounce on it. When he is at the high point of the jump, the player should shift the perspective from left to right so that he lands on a platform directly above the mushroom. The sun's scale must step on all star tiles present to break the black blocks barricading the finish block. The second star needed to unlock the finish line is held by a star carrier on a platform below the fire orbs.

The first star can be found by going down the waterfall and changing perspective to reach it at the far end of the bottom platform. After landing on the head of a skull enemy below, the player should travel down two more waterfalls to reach a platform with a pink block to the left of the player.

The second and third stars are within close distance of each other, one held by a star carrier while the other sits on a platform with a mushroom. Once all three stars are collected, the player can return to the finish block by using the mushrooms to jump all the way up to the area which they started. The waterfall next to the fire orbs will take the player down to the finish block, completing the level.

The finish block is blocked off by three dark blocks, so the player has to go search around the area for the five star tiles to step on. Numerous fire orbs appear in this level. The first reachable star is between two fire orbs, which can be obtained without losing health by shifting perspective while on the pink blocks. The second is below the platform with the two fire orbs and mushroom, on a platform with a pink block at the bottom of a set of descending "steps" created by smaller platforms with mushrooms.

After both stars are obtained, the player should make sure the sun's scale has stepped on all five star tiles before making their way back up to the finish block.

Level 10 involves navigation by way of loose pink blocks beside platforms. One star is located on a platform with a walking skull enemy and a pink block on top of the platform. Another star is on a platform with two coins, directly above a platform with a mushroom on it. At the top of the waterfall, next to a walking skull enemy, there is another star. By going down the waterfall and shifting the perspective 180 degrees, the sun's scale will land on a pink block, which should take him to the finish block once the perspective is shifted once more. The player needs to be careful not to partially change the perspective, or they will have to make their way back up to the top of the waterfall again.

The finish block is obstructed by three dark blocks, so the player has to go looking for the five star tiles to step as well as finding and collecting the two stars. One star is located on a platform between two fire orbs and a pink block, while another is seen on a longer platform with to the right of two pink blocks. After collecting that star on the platform without the fire orbs, the sun's scale can reach the finish block by jumping onto the platform on the left of it and shifting the perspective from right to left. Then, using the mushroom to reach the next highest platform, the player will see the finish block just to the right of it.

There are five stars to collect in this level, two which are visible at the start of playing. Three of them are near the bottom of waterfalls. One sits on a platform just below two mushrooms, when shifted into perspective. Another star can be accessed by climbing up the steps created by pink blocks. Numerous fire orbs are seen around the area, and the player must be careful not to shift perspective onto one of them. The finish block, after climbing up the steps made by the pink blocks, can be accessed by means of the lowest isolated pink block next to the two visible platforms with mushrooms on them.

By shifting the perspective from left to right, the stack of two pink blocks will form a staircase so the sun's scale can reach it at the top. The player then has to make their way around, finding the other two stars while stepping on all five star tiles to break the finish block barrier. Once all three stars are collected, the finish block can be accessed by shifting the perspective on a loose pink block and jumping all the way to the left of a long platform with a mushroom on it.

This level requires the player to collect five stars. Each of the stars is carried by star carriers. Some of them require the player to move the star carrier to the platform with the moon tile by shifting perspective to have them step on the layered platforms. To reach the finish block, have the sun's scale make his way up to the uppermost platform with a waterfall, then make his way down the waterfall. After shifting the perspective 180 degrees, the sun's scale will be put on a pink block. Turning the perspective once more leads the sun's scale to a platform that has the finish block to its left.

Change the perspective and look around for a lit moon tile. Once it is spotted, get the sun's scale on top of it. When the boss of this level starts to descend, move quickly off the spot and the boss will disappear before reappearing in the air. Look for the lit moon tile again and get on top of it. Again, the boss will come down so move out of the way to hurt the boss. Do that again one last time and the boss will die. The level will be complete and the ending of Sky Island can be seen.

The ending depicts a starry sky behind the sun scale's who is smiling and is surrounded by seven stars. The moon appears a small distance away from him smiling. Some platforms are seen shrouded in darkness under the moon. A caption at the bottom of the image says " Well done! You have found all the stolen stars and defeated the dark souls. You can now get back to the sun.